Dyren's footsteps were light as he walked toward the Adventurer's Guild. His outer coat was still a little dirty from sewer water, but his face looked satisfied. In his hand, he carried a small bundle of report papers and a single red rose, now tucked neatly into his chest pocket.
Upon entering the guild, several adventurers turned their heads. But unlike that morning, there were no sharp glares or fearful looks. Some even nodded slightly in acknowledgment.
"Dyren, did you finish the sewer-cleaning mission?" asked the elven receptionist girl with a polite smile.
"Yes. Completely clean. From the far east road to the lower market district. I even fixed some of the clogged areas," Dyren replied, handing over his report.
The elf girl looked at him with a hint of surprise. "Alone?"
Dyren gave a faint smile. "No. I had help." He snapped his fingers, and a pair of small skeletons appeared behind him, dancing slowly as if to greet the room.
"Ah, I forgot you're a necromancer. My apologies."
The adventurers nearby simply laughed or shook their heads. The tension that had once risen due to the murder rumors seemed to have gradually eased.
The elf girl let out a soft laugh and recorded his report. "Alright, your payment will be processed. That's a total of 280 Thorne coins for today's work."
"Huh? Isn't that too much? That's more than I calculated."
"No problem. Think of it as a bonus for fixing those clogged drains."
She finished writing and placed the payment on the counter. Dyren handed over his adventurer card. His contribution points began to be updated.
"Thank you, Miss Elf."
"My name is Elirion. I've told you, just call me by my name. Eli!" the elf girl said with a wink.
"Ah, alright. Thank you, Eli."
Dyren turned to leave. But before he could walk away from the reception desk, another voice stopped him.
"Dyren Valenhart!" someone called out.
Dyren turned around. A tall man in leather armor approached. He was a C-rank adventurer. Behind him were three others—two men and one woman. They all looked tough and experienced.
"What is it?" Dyren asked cautiously.
"We received a report of a new goblin nest in the forest where your party hunted the Nightfang Thornboar. It's deeper in, near the old ruins."
"And?"
"We need one more member to complete the mission," the man replied. "It's been hard finding someone. Want to join us?"
Dyren raised an eyebrow. He noticed several idle adventurers around the guild. One question came to mind—why him?
Something felt suspicious.
But this was money. He couldn't pass up a good mission. "How much will I… I mean we earn from this?"
The elf girl at the desk quickly pulled out a small mission board. On it was a new mission listing:
[Rank C Mission]
Objective: Sweep and clear a goblin nest found in the forest south of Velderath.
Threats: Common goblins and possible Goblin Shaman.
Adventurers Required: Minimum 5.
Reward: 80 Tharv coins split evenly, with a bonus for retrieving the Goblin Shaman's head.
"If you agree, we're leaving now," said the man.
Dyren weighed the offer. He had wanted to wait for Mara and Mira to return, but…
"I'm in," he answered firmly. "But give me 20 Tharv coins as my share."
The other adventurers looked surprised by Dyren's demand. That would give him the largest cut of the reward. Clearly unfair.
"Alright. But you better contribute the most," the man replied.
Dyren nodded. "Of course."
"Let's move out."
***
The journey to the forest was fairly short. They rode a horse-drawn cart to the western gate, then continued on foot toward the location. Along the way, Dyren observed his new teammates:
Rashan – the leader, a knight-type with a large spear and shield.
Vennel – a female archer with twin ponytails and a sharp gaze, a trap specialist.
Brux and Jilkan – axe-wielding twin brothers who also used earth magic, always bickering but surprisingly in-sync during combat.
Dyren felt like he had joined a professional party—very different from the chaos of his usual team. They even strategized before engaging in battle.
"This is what a real party should be," Dyren muttered under his breath.
"Don't you wonder why goblins are able to build a nest in an area that should already be cleared?" Rashan asked suddenly.
Dyren turned to him. "Why?"
"Because something killed their natural predators in that area. We found scattered Nightfang bones yesterday. They're supposed to be the goblins' main threat."
"So...?"
"That means something more dangerous might be lurking there."
"You're saying... something stronger than a Nightfang Thornboar?"
Rashan nodded. "That's our initial suspicion, though it's not confirmed. That's why we're doing this investigation."
"So this could actually be a higher-ranked mission?" Dyren asked.
"Exactly." Rashan turned and patted Dyren's shoulder. "If you ever feel you can't win—don't be ashamed to run. Life is more important than anything."
Dyren nodded. "I'll keep that in mind."
They continued walking. Dyren felt oddly comforted by Rashan's words. He realized not all adventurers were like Brakkon.
Some were actually decent people. It's just that the loud, arrogant ones often stood out the most.
Dyren smiled in relief. "This world... isn't as bad as I thought."
***
After an hour of walking, they reached the old ruins. Giant moss-covered stones, shattered statues lying on the ground, and the musty smell of decay welcomed them.
"There are fresh goblin tracks… lots of them," Vennel whispered. "Maybe twenty."
Brux and Jilkan began digging the earth to place the traps Vennel had prepared earlier before they entered the forest.
Rashan gave the signal. "We'll attack from three directions. Dyren, you'll be behind the eastern pillar. Summon your bones, and if you smell blood from the west, focus your attacks there. That's usually where the shaman hides."
Dyren nodded. He would follow Rashan's orders—it was his party, after all. He was the leader.
"If the number of goblins is too high, lure them into the traps. Don't be reckless!" Rashan emphasized.
The others nodded in agreement.
"Alright. Spread out!" he ordered.
They split up in three directions, just as Rashan had planned. A well-structured strike mission.
But what exactly would they face? Just goblins… or something far worse?